Academic Affairs

​Academic Probation

Overview

At UWSP, students must earn at least a 2.0 cumulative GPA
in order to graduate, and many majors require a higher GPA. So, when a
student's GPA is less than 2.0, they are placed on academic probation.

Probation 1: A
student's semester or cumulative GPA (or both) is less than 2.0. This is
the first notice that the student's academic performance needs to be
improved.

Probation 2:
A student's semester or cumulative GPA (or both) is less than 2.0 and
the student is already on Probation 1. This is the final warning to the
student to increase their GPA to 2.0 or above. If the student's GPA
remains less than 2.0, the student may be dismissed from the university.

Nationally, nearly 25% of all college students will be on academic
probation at some point in their college career. Roughly 50% of
probationary students will voluntarily drop out. At UWSP, we want to
ensure that every student is given the opportunity to succeed, so it is
important to understand the various causes of academic probation, as
well as support strategies available to students to help them achieve
their goals.

Students on academic probation are probably experiencing multiple
factors that contribute to their poor academic performance. So, be sure
to avoid these pitfalls:

For Students:
avoid the assumption that if you just "try harder" or "study more" that
you will improve. While this is a good start, you need to assess
whether you are studying effectively, as well as look carefully at all
aspects of your life. You should also take advantage of the vast array of resources available at UWSP that are in place to help. All students are expected to use these forms of help throughout their time at UWSP.

For Advisors: avoid
the assumption that the student isn't capable. Often times, students on
academic probation ARE capable of college-level work, but there are
other factors that prohibit the student from performing at their full
potential (work schedule, taking courses out of sequence, family
obligations, etc.).